Snap-on closure assembly



Dec. 14, 1965 H. F. WHEATON SNAP-0N CLOSURE ASSEMBLY 2, Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 4, 1964 INVENTOR f/mamrf M54219 BY W AITOAA E) Dec. 14, 1965 F. WHEATON SNAP-ON CLOSURE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Fatent Gffice 3,223,279 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 3,223,279 SNAP-N CLOSURE ASSEMBLY Herbert F. Wheaten, Summit, N.J., assignor to American Flange & Manufacturing Co. Inc, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 4, 1964, Ser. No. 364,577

9 Claims. (Cl. 220-60) This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 228,115 filed October 3, 1962, in the name of Herbert F. Wheaton and entitled Snap-On Container Closure and Qombinations, now Patent No. 3,131,827, granted May 5, 1964. The closure assembly as disclosed in that application generally comprised a reusable snap-on plastic closure and an overlying tamperproof metal capseal applicable for use on containers up to several gallons capacity.

This invention relates to closures for containers, and is more particularly concerned with a closure assembly initially adapted for effectively closing and sealing the openings of cans, bottles, jars and the like, against leakage and undetected tampering and, after the initial opening by hand destroying a part of said assembly, leaving a hand applicable closure member effective for closing against leakage.

The instant application is concerned with a modification of the invention of application Serial No. 228,115 more particularly adapted for application to cans, bottles, jars and the like relatively small containers such as are commonly used in the packaging of food products. As applied to such relatively small containers, the closure assembly of the invention is particularly adapted for closing and sealing of the open mouth or complete open end of the container itself.

The advantages of the closure assembly herein disclosed reside, to begin with, in its ability to elfectively seal off a container opening so as to maintain a substantial internal pressure or vacuum within such container as may be desired. The seal formed by the closure assembly of the invention, besides being etl'ective and permanent, is completely tamperproof since access to the container can only be achieved through the destructive removal of an overlying metal capseal. This access can easily be attained by simply gripping a tearing ear with ones fingers and tearing a weakened portion of the capseal outwardly and upwardly thereby destroying the same to sufficient extent to enable its removal from the container. Once the original seal has been broken and the capseal removed, a snap-on plastic lid still remains snugly engaged on the container.

This is easily removed and reapplied by hand engagement.

The baby food package is a consumer item to which the closure of the invention is admirably adapted. T he common screw or twist caps presently used on glass baby food jars, although resuable, are often quite difficult to remove at the outset. In fact, mechanical devices are sold to aid the housewife in such removal. Furthermore, as sold, these screw cap or twist cap closures lack any tamperproof feature to assure that the contents have not been tampered with or contaminated.

The invention greatly improves upon prior art closures for consumer containers in providing a closure which can be applied to the container by the packer in a single operation and is easily removable by the unaided hand of the consumer not only in its reusable form but also in its initial pressure resistant tamperproof form as well.

The advantages of the closure of the invention over prior art baby food and like container closures reside in the easy hand removability of the overlying metal tear-oil capseal besides effectively sealing the container, renders the tampering or opening of the same immediately detectable. Furthermore, though the metal capseal of the invention closure is removed, the container opening remains covered and tightly closed by the reusable plastic lid the same as when the container was initially filled and sealed.

It is accordingly a principal object of the invention to provide new and improved container closures.

Another object is to provide a container closure assembly which provides a tamperproof pressure seal upon initial application and an effective leak tight seal upon subsequent reapplication.

Still another object is to provide a container closure assembly which is initially easily unsealed and removed by hand and provides an easily hand applied and removed closure for subsequent use.

A further object is to provide a two-piece closure assembly which can be applied as a unit in a single operation under relatively high speed production conditions.

A still further object is to provide a new and improved closure assembly having a hand removable metal tearoff element effecting a pressure seal and an underlying snap-on resuable closing element.

A still further object is to provide such a closure assembly wherein the overlying metal element is secured in direct sealing engagement with the container to which the assembly is applied.

A more detailed object is to provide such a closure assembly which incorporates provision for the prevention of damage to the metal sealing element upon expansion of the underlying reusable element during application of the assembly to a container.

Further and more detailed objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part pointed out as the description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing proceeds.

In that drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container closure combination in accordance with the invention shown as applied over a container opening.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional exploded view of the elements of the closure assembly.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing such elements assembled.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of a closure assembly in accordance with the invention in the initial position of application over a container wall opening.

FIG. 5 is a similar view with the closure assembly seated further down over the container wall opening.

FIG. 6 is a part elevational-part sectional view of the closure assembly fully seated in place on a container opening ready for sealing thereon.

FIG. 7 is a similar view but with the closure assembly in fully sealed position.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 after the metal sealing cap has been removed.

FIG. 9 is a perspective View similar to FIG. 1 showing a modified form of sealing member.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken on lines 1010 of FIG. 9 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGS. 11 and 12 are enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional views of the closure assembly of the invention as applied to modified container opening formations.

FIG. 13 is a part elevational-part sectional view of a modified form of closure assembly in accordance with the invention showing the same as applied to a bottle neck.

As seen in FIGS. 1 and 6, the closure assembly of the invention is shown as applied to a suitable formation 2 surrounding an opening in a container 1. For purposes of illustration, the container here shown appears as a can with the closure being applied to an open end thereof. It is, of course, to be understood that this can end could just as well be a neck surrounding an opening in a container wall. The closure assembly itself has as its main parts a resilient snap-on closure or lid generally indicated at 4 and an overlying metal sealing member or cap 5. The snap-on closure may formed of any of a number of materials providing the required gasketing qualities and flexibility with reasonable stiffness, of which polyethylene plastic is a non-limiting example.

Considering the snap-on closure or lid 4 in greater detail as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, it is seen as having a recessed central portion 6 bordered by an enlarged annular peripheral portion 7 extending above the plane of the central portion. The underside of the peripheral portion 7 is formed with a downwardly opening annular groove 8. This groove 8 has an inner wall portion 9, a curved end wall portion 10 and a downwardly and inwardly formed outer wall portion 11. The outer wall portion 11 has an inner curved surface 13, an outer curved surface 14 an terminates as its lowermost free edge in a downwardly and outwardly tapered surface 15 joining the surfaces 13 and 14.

The sealing member or cap 5 as seen in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 has a general configuration similar to that of the closure 4 which it overlies. From FIG. 2, the sealing member 5 is seen to have a recessed center portion 18 and an enlarged peripheral portion 19 extending upwardly above the plane of the central portion 18. The peripheral portion 19 is also formed to provide a downwardly opening annular groove on its underside as indicated at 20 which groove has an inner wall 21, a rounded upper wall 22 and a vertically downwardly extending peripheral skirt 23. The lower free edge 24 of the skirt 23 is circular with the exception of a small portion from which a downwardly extending tearing ear 25 extends forming the continuation of a tear-out portion 26 defined by the score lines 27 seen from the showing in FIG. 1 as extending at least part way across the top of the sealing member 5;

Turning now to the FIG. 3 showing of the closure of the invention in assembled form, it can be seen that the closure lid 4 snugly fits within the sealing member or cap 5 to form an assembly which may subsequently be handled as a single unit. So long as this handling is done with reasonable care, the likelihood of the assembled members becoming separated in remote. The securement of the two members together is enhanced caused by the suction effect resulting from their having been pressed together. The maintenance of this engagement is materially aided by the frictional contact of the upper outer portion of the lid rim 14 with the interior of the sealing member skirt 23.

The application of the closure assembly to a container opening is clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. Here illustrative opening formation 2 results from the end portion of container wall having been doubled over inwardly and flared outwardly into a frusto-conical configuration which terminates in rounded end surface 3. As the closure assembly is placed on the container, the inclined surface 15 of the snap-on closure 4 first engages the rounded end surface 3. Continued downward pressure applied to the assembly causes the wall 11 thereof to be flexed radially outwardly allowing the groove or channel 8 to slide down and embrace the opening formation 2. The gap indicated at 28 in FIG. 4 formed between the peripheral surface 14 of the lid and the interior-of the cap skirt 23 is almost completely closed up as the wall 14 is urged to its maximum expanded position shown in FIG. 5. The importance of the existance of the gap 28 initially resides in the need for enabling the wall portion 14 to flex outwardly providing a flexible snap-on fit over the opening formation 2 stressing or tending to stretch the sealing member skirt 23. This is important because the skirt 23 is provided with a pair of weakened zone or score lines 27 with a tear strip therebetween to enable removal of the cap through tearing of the skirt and top. Any forcing out of the lid rim 14 against the skirt 23 would introduce the possibility of breaking the wall out at the score lines 27 during the apply operation. The inclined surface 15 and the gap provided at 28 accordingly allow the closure assembly of the invention to be easily applied as a single unit and in a single operation to a container without any likelihood of damaging the overlying sealing member.

Going on to FIG. 6, it is evident that upon completion of the downward seating movement of the assembly as indicated to seat the end surface 3 tightly against the curved bottom surface of the groove 8, the outer wall 11 has snapped over the end surface 3 with the interior surface 13 of the wall 11 tightly engaging the outer surface of the frusto-conical formation 2. The relationship between the closure member 4 and sealing element 5 has been restored to substantially the same as that existing in the unapplied condition of FIG. 4 with the gap 28 returned to its initial open configuration. The closure assembly is now firmly held in place in applied position on the container ready to be sealed in place thereon in the manner illustrated in FIG. 7.

In FIG. 7 the peripheral portion of the assembly is shown as being compressed between an exterior sealing member 30 and an interior backup anvil 31. As the metal skirt 23 of the sealing cap 5 is formed radially inwardly, the gap 28 again disappears and the wall 11 is tightly compressed about the opening formation 2. This causes the peripheral portion 7 of the plastic closure lid 4 to act as an effective gasket between the sealing member or cap 5 and the container. The lower portion of the skirt 23 as indicated at 32 in FIG. 7 is formed inwardly beyond the lower edge 15 of the wall 11 and into direct sealing engagement with the wall of the container 1. The particular sealing arrangement employed by the invention utilizes the gasketing properties of the plastic snapon closure while at the same time forming a direct mechanical interlocking engagement with the container thus eliminating any spring back of the skirt 23 such as might occur if the wall 11 extended to the lower edge 24 of the skirt 23. This spring back problem becomes critical when the sealing member is formed of the lightweight aluminum required to enable unaided hand removability.

In FIG. 8 is shown a container with the snap-on closure alone applied thereto after the sealing member or cap 5 has been torn off. Destruction of the sealing member leaves the snap-on closure undisturbed in its position on the container and with both the closure interior and the container contents fully protected from an possible contamination. Removal of the snap-on closure 4 from the container is not easily effected by simply pulling or pushing upwardly on the wall 11 and edge surface 15 with the fingers or thumbs. The closure 4 may be easily reapplied to close the opening by snapping it over the opening formation 2 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.

A modified form of sealing member generally indicated at 35 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Basically this is in the form of an annulus made out of sheet metal and being of inverted U shape in cross section. The member 35 has an outer peripheral skirt 36, an annular rounded top portion 37 and an annular inner wall 38 joined to the skirt 36 by the portion 37 and terminating in a free edge 39. The applying of the sealing member 35 over the rim of the closure member 4 and to a container about the opening therein is carried out in the same fashion as shown in FIG. 7. However, to facilitate removal the annulus 35 has projecting therefrom a gripping ear 40 which extends inwardly from the edge 39 as an extension of a tear-out strip 41. This tear-out strip extends over the annulus 35, defined by the score lines 42. Hence it can .be seen that in order to gain access to the contents of a container sealed in the FIG. 9 manner one grips the ear with the fingers and pulls upwardly and outwardly tearing away the tear strip 41 and enabling removal of the sealing member 35. The underlying reusable snapon closure 4, of course, remains on the container the same as in the FIG. 8 showing and is then easily removed.

In FIGS. 11 and 12 the closure assemblies illustrated are the same as in FIGS. 1-7 with the differences here being in the container opening formations to which they are applied. In FIG. 11 the closure assembly is applied to a container 45 having an inwardly curled or beaded opening formation 46. In FIG. 12 the closure assembly is applied to a container 47 having an outwardly curled or beaded opening formation 48. The application and effectiveness of the closure assemblies are the same as in the previously described forms.

In FIG. 13 a somewhat modified closure assembly in accordance with the invention is shown for application to a bottle or jar 50. In this embodiment both the snapon closure 51 and the sealing member 52 have relatively fiat disc-like top portions 53 and 54 extending all the way to their peripheries. In this type of container when made of glass or a tough plastic the strength of the side wall is sufiicient to withstand the inward side pressure exerted by the sealing device in applying the sealing member. No back up anvil is needed inside the peripheral engaging portion of the cap so there is no need to recess the center portion of the closure assembly. The container 50 is provided with an annular head 55 around its open mouth to receive the closure assembly. In this instance, however, there is not so much of a channel to receive the opening formation since the center of the top is not recessed downwardly. The closure member 51 has an outer wall 56, however into the bead 55 seats the wall 56 terminating at its free edge in an inclined surface 57. The sealing member 52 has a peripheral skirt 53 which cooperates with the underlying Wall 56 and extends down to engage the container wall in the same manner as previously described. The sealing member is of course destructable for removal as previously described.

From the foregoing it is believed readily apparent that the invention embodies a new and novel closure construction combining the often sought after advantages of a hand removable tamperproof sealing with an efiective reusable closure. The parts of the assembly are susceptible of high speed manufacture and the assembly is susceptible of high speed application.

It is, of course, to be understood that various changes may be made in the construction described and shown and that various other embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. It is accordingly intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A closure assembly comprising a resilient snap-on closure lid and a metal sealing member overlying the same, said closure being formed of synthetic plastic material and having a top, an annular peripheral wall bordering said top extending downwardly and inwardly from said top, said wall joining said top in a rounded edge portion and terminating in a lower free end portion, said metal sealing member being formed to seal said closure in place having an annular peripheral portion including a substantially vertically downwardly extending skirt, said skirt terminating in a free edge at a position substantially below said lower free end portion of said wall, said skirt forming a friction fit engagement with said rounded edge portion, said lower free end portion of said wall being spaced radially inwardly of said skirt, a tear strip formed in said sealing member extending across said skirt, and finger grip tearing means formed integrally with said tear strip so that said sealing member can be destructively removed from said snap-on closure by tearing away said tear strip.

2. A closure assembly as in claim 1, said lower free end portion of said peripheral wall terminating in an upwardly and inwardly extending frusto-conical surface.

3. A closure assembly as in claim 1, said sealing member having an annular form with a substantially circular inner free edge and said finger grip tearing means extending radially inwardly from said inner free edge.

4. A closure assembly as in claim I, said top of said snap-on closure lid having a recessed center portion, an enlarged upwardly extending annular portion surrounding said center portion and joining said peripheral wall, said annular portion being .formed with a downwardly opening groove therein and said metal sealing member lying in direct overlying engagement with said annular portion.

5. A closure assembly as in claim 4, said sealing member having an annular configuration providing a substantially circular inner free edge and said finger grip tearing means extending radially inwardly from said annulus.

6. A closure assembly comprising a resilient snap-on closure lid formed of synthetic plastic material having an intermediate circular top portion and having a peripheral wall bordering said top portion, said wall extending downwardly and inwardly at an angle, said wall having a rounded upper portion joining with said top and a lower free end formed with an upwardly and inwardly extending frusto-conical surface, said assembly including a metal sealing member formed to overlie said wall of said snap-on closure, a substantially vertically downwardly extending skirt forming the peripheral portion of said sealing member, said skirt forming a tight friction fit engagement with said upper portion of said wall, said lower free end of said wall portion lying in radially in wardly spaced relationship with respect to said skirt, said sealing member being formed with a tear strip extending across said skirt, and tearing means formed integrally with said skirt and aligned with said tear strip so that said sealing member can be destroyed and removed from said closure by tearing along said tear strip.

7. A closure assembly as in claim 6, said sealing member skirt terminating at its lowermost free edge at a position substantially below said lower free end of said bordering wall.

8. A closure assembly as in claim 6, said sealing member forming an annulus of inverted U shape in cross section, and said tearing means extending radially inwardly from the inner free edge of said annulus.

9. A closure assembly as in claim 6, said circular top of said snap-on closure lid being recessed and said peripheral Wall forming part of an enlarged annular portion surrounding said top, a downwardly opening groove formed within said annular portion, said metal sealing member being in direct overlying engagement with said annular portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 575,960 1/1897 Fellows 220-60 3,131,827 5/1964 Wheaten 22059 FOREIGN PATENTS 557,041 5/1957 Belgium. 1,117,931 11/1959 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CLOSURE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A RESILIENT SNAP-ON CLOSURE LID AND A METAL SEALING MEMBER OVERLYING THE SAME, SAID CLOSURE BEING FORMED OF SYNTHETIC PLASTIC MATERIAL AND HAVING A TOP, AN ANNULAR PERIPHERAL WALL BORDERING SAID TOP EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY AND INWARDLY FROM SAID TOP, SAID WALL JOINING SAID TOP IN A ROUNDED EDGE PORTION AND TERMINATING IN A LOWER FREE END PORTION, SAID METAL SEALING MEMBER BEING FORMED TO SEAL SAID CLOSURE IN PLACE HAVING AN ANNULAR PERIPHERAL PORTION INCLUDING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING SKIRT, SAID SKIRT TERMINATING IN A FREE EDGE AT A POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW SAID LOWER FREE END PORTION OF SAID WALL, SAID SKIRT FORMING A FRICTION FIT ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID ROUNDED EDGE PORTION, SAID LOWER FREE END PORTION OF SAID WALL BEING SPACED RADIALLY OF SAID SKIRT, A TEAR STRIP FORMED IN SAID SEALING MEMBER EXTENDING ACROSS SAID SKIRT, AND FINGER GRIP TEARING MEANS FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH SAID TEAR STRIP SO THAT SAID SEALING MEMBER CAN BE DESTRUCTIVELY REMOVED FROM SAID SNAP-ON CLOSURE BY TEARING AWAY SAID TEAR STRIP 